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YOU MIGHT THINK that this is a flippant question, but I’m serious. Our values DO change during the course of our lifetime, so it’s quite possible that a shift will occur which causes you to change the values of your business.
A common shift comes when you figure out that your business plan just isn’t going to work anymore. Even if it was successful at one point, you now know that you’re headed for failure. It’s time to pivot your strategy and take a different approach.
But this doesn’t necessarily imply any change to your values. It may totally change WHAT you’re doing and HOW you’re doing it, but not WHY.
WHEN YOU are building a company based on deeper values, it’s critical to align your actions with your employees.
No, I’m not talking about the plaque on the wall stating your principles. I’m not talking about your employee training program. Both are important, I suppose, but they lose their value to reinforce attitudes on a day-to-day basis.
In Corporate America lingo, I’m talking about Reinforcement, Recognition, and Rewards.
Reprinted with permission from today’s guest blogger, Jon Hokama!
“To have a firm persuasion, to set out boldly in our work, is to make a pilgrimage of our labors, to understand that the consummation of work lies not only in what we have done, but who we have become while accomplishing the task.”
-David Whyte, Crossing the Unknown Sea (emphasis mine)
While employed in corporate America, I drew strength and inspiration from David Whyte’s book, Crossing the Unknown Sea. I began reframing the challenges of that environment as an influence over my character which was being shaped for good at times and for ill at others. Remembering Whyte’s insight, a classic movie was the poetic inspiration that burnished a waypoint mirror for my current journey toward business maturity.
THIS WEEK I had a chance to participate in the CMAA Sacred Music Colloquium. That may not seem relevant to a business-related blog, but it actually is.
I do this because I’m passionate about the subject, but also because it re-centers me back on to some of the core values in my life. In this case, it’s spiritual, but I do other things to keep other values focused in my life.
When you’re trying to direct a values-based business, this is quite necessary. Read the rest of this entry »
THOSE OF YOU here in Fort Collins know how crazy it would be to leave OtterBox and their amazing employee culture.
Kristin Golliher did exactly that, back in February last year. To start a new business called WildRock Public Relations & Marketing. She has great passion for what she does: providing professional services to companies large and small across the nation.
But she has an even deeper passion for the kind of company she’s trying to create.
WHEN YOU communicate a set of values out to your customers, some of them will reject your message. But then again, others will be attracted to it.
This WILL polarize your customer base.
But that shouldn’t scare you off, because this kind of thing happens all the time. If I have a restaurant which targets the affluent, it’s going to turn off those people who are cheapskates like me. But another restaurant which highlights affordable meals for the masses will be looked down upon by those who believe it’s beneath them.
BRIAN and PAM DAY are an amazing couple. They’re bringing an approach which is helping people on their spiritual journeys.
I’ve known Pam for a long time as a friend and experienced and gracious coach. I think I first met Brian at a Christmas party a decade ago, but it’s hard to remember exactly when.
I’ve been following their journey, which has taken them to the ends of the earth, literally and spiritually.
GREEN RIDE COLORADO is a well-known local award-winning leader in shuttle buses to and from Denver International Airport. For such a commodity service, people are constantly surprised at how they give a special experience of customer service and professionalism.
It all starts with the culture.
I had a chance to speak with Bob Flynn recently, who started Green Ride with Ray Schofield, and is a wonderful friend. He wanted to start this company because he was tired of working for bosses who treated employees like generic machines. 
And he really didn’t like being a manager in that environment.
So Ray and Bob went out and started their own company, to create the kind of employee culture that they would love.
TEN THOUSAND VILLAGES is a US-based company with a powerful mission to create opportunities for artisans in developing countries. Formed in 1946, they now buy from 37 countries, have 78 branded stores in North America, about 260 other retail partners, and sales of $42M for the year ending March 2012.
They are one of the largest and most successful fair-trade organizations on the planet.
I had a chance recently to speak with Wendy Poppen, who runs our local store. She brings a powerful passion in this role: “I’m going to leave this planet a little better than I found it.”
PEOPLE are sometimes puzzled by this concept of “deep values” in the for-profit world. Partly that stems from an overlap with the idea of altruism.
Altruism is the idea of putting others’ needs ahead of your own, being able to give without expectation of return. We do this all the time in our families: You’ll help out others just because of the close relationship, not because you expect something back. Well, not exactly true – you expect a certain amount of reciprocation, or trust and closeness will degrade over time. But that’s not very specific.
And in the case of the commitment to your spouse or kids, you’ll give and give and give.
The Values-Based Business 